FRONTIER HOME
by Raymond Bial & illustrated by Raymond Bial
In another lyrical yet precise text, Bial (Amish Home, p. 142) invites readers to imagine traveling by Conestoga wagon to an uncertain future on the American frontier. Bial details the daily life and concerns of settlers, adding immediacy with several quotes from early settlers, both male and female. (A few unfamiliar words—``puncheons''; ``flintlock''—aren't well defined in context; a glossary would have been welcome.) The presentation is enhanced by sharp, beautifully composed, unpeopled color photos, not captioned but well placed in relation to a text that's short enough so that the lack of an index won't inhibit use for reports. Bibliography. (Nonfiction. 9-12)